If you're feeling underappreciated at work, you're not alone.

Nearly 45 percent of global employees feel that their managers do not recognize them nor encourage them to use their talents, according to a worldwide employee engagement study conducted by BlessingWhite, Inc.

What's more, 40 percent of employees surveyed indicated they might leave their company or they are currently planning their escape.

Yet it's common knowledge that an occasional pat on the back makes most people happier in their jobs, and more inclined to work harder and stay longer.

Workers are obviously feeling the competitive pressure of today's fast-paced, demanding global marketplace. Long work days and extra effort are becoming the norm.

Smart employers who realize the need to recognize this extra effort are better positioned to hire and keep happy, productive workers, says Eric Mosley, chief executive officer of Globoforce, a provider of global, strategic employee recognition programs.

"People have a basic human need to feel appreciated, and employee recognition programs help meet that need," Mosley says.

Recognition should not only come from managers to employees, but also be distributed among peers so that everyone within the company feels that they are contributing to the greater whole.

"Bestowing recognition is not just a nice thing to do, it represents a critical element in fostering an appreciation culture amongst employees and employers," Mosley says.

Keep in mind that job recognition is only effective if it's based on relationships. If a stranger on the street gives you something, it may not necessarily mean very much. If, however, job recognition is based on the fact that somebody knows you intimately (like your manager), recognizes the effort you have invested and takes the time to articulate their appreciation, it improves the value and impact of the recognition moment.

Whether you are currently working for a company or looking for a prospective employer, it is important to pay attention to how that company shows its employees that their hard work is appreciated. Ask your current or potential employer if they have an employee recognition program.

If they do, then the company cares about the efforts of their workforce by acknowledging and ensuring that their employees are getting just as much out of the relationship as the employer.

Today's workplace is different, diverse and constantly changing.

The typical employee / employer relationship of old has been turned upside down. The combination of almost limitless job opportunities and less recognition for employee loyalty has created an environment where the business needs its employees more than the employees need the business.

A strategic, well-implemented employee recognition program can bolster loyalty and create an ongoing healthy employee / employer relationship.

Simply put: Demand recognition from your employer! Even small tokens of appreciation, like a thank-you note, can go a long way.

"You don't have to work for the highest paying employer. What matters the most is that the company provides a positive and attractive work environment," says Mosley. "One of the most important factors in measuring how employees 'feel' about the company they work for is how that company rewards and recognizes its most important asset -- its employees."

For more information, log on to www.globoforce.com.

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